Car roof



CAR ROOF C. D. BONSALL Fild oct. 1o, 1930 YApril 12, 1932.

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE I cHAnLEs DAVIDPoNsALI., or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR To P.VH. MOP.- PHYCOMPANY, 'oF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OP' PENN-SYLVANIA CAR ROOF.

Application filed. October 10, 1930. SerialNo. 487,656;

This invention relates to car roofs of the type wherein the metal roofsheets are rigidly secured together and to the carlines along theiradjacent margins. It has for its @principal objects to produce a strongand light weight roof of simple and `economical construction. that iseasy of application and that will enable portionsof the sheets'to flexor bend relative to each other and toV the carlines and thereby preventdamage v"to the sheets when the car frameV is distorted in service.Other objects are to reduce` the height of the carline withoutsacrificing strength or headroom, to better provide for 16 supportingthe sheets on the carlines, and to facilitate the operation of rivetingthe sheets to the carlines. The invention consists prin` cipally inspacing portions of the sheetsfrom the carlines to which they aresecured vso that said sheets may flex relative to the carlines and toeach other; it also consists in providing the carlines with portionsthat serve as supports for the roof sheets; it also consists in the.arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification andlwherein likesymbols refer to like partswhereverthey occur, Y a

Fig.,1 is a plan view of a portion of'acar roof embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse cross-section through the roofon the line 24,-2 in Fig. 1, Y

'.Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, y

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line 4-4ofFig.2;and

Figs. and 6 are vertical sections similar to Fig. 3, showing modifiedseam construc, tions.

The present construction comprises Z-bar c side plates A' connected bycarlines B, and roof sheets C extending from side plate to side plateand covering the spacesbetween carlines. The Z-bar side plates A arepreferably arranged with the inner flange upstanding and having anAangle-shaped sup- 50 port D riveted flatwise to the outer face of saidiiange. The upper flange 2 of the angleshaped support D extends inwardlyover the' side plate beneath the roof sheets C atan anglecorresponding'to theslope thereofat thel proper elevation for the endportionsof said roof sheets to rest upon.VL At suitable intervalsjtheupper flange 2 ofthe angleshaped support D is provided in its top withdepressions 3 shapedto ,receive and form seats for the ends of thecarlines B, which Y...

are riveted thereto;

The carlines B are made up of two'meml berseach, an `upper member 4 anda lower member 5. The upper member 4 comprises an inverted channel withoutstanding base flanges 6 at the lowervedges of itsV side walls, thechannel'being of uniform ydepthffrom the ridge to pointsv adjacent totheeaves where it is curved downwardly to close yits ends.

The lower oarline member 5 is in the form'of y a plate that is rivetedto the base iiang'es of the inverted channel-shaped upper carline member4. The lowercarli'ne memberv yis wider than the upperfcarline member4.and

has its side marginal portions oEset .upfr wardly beyond the b a'seiianges 'of said upper carline member to form raised Yflanges'` orpanels 7 for the roof sheets C to rest upon. y

The roof sheets C extend from side plate to side plate and are providedat their` ends with depending flanges 8 that overhang and that arepreferably spaced fromA lthe' com# bined carline `and roof vsheetsupports Dl and the upstanding side plate flanges l, to which saidsupports areseoure'd.v VThe roofsheets are provided along Oppositej sidemargins with inverted channel-shapedV side marginal flanges or hollowribs 9 that extendjfrom end to end of the roof sheets. j Thechannelshaped sid-e marginal flanges 9 of adjacent roof sheets fit andinterlock with each other. and straddle the carlines. Said anges areriveted flatwise7 as at 10,-V to the tops yof the carlines B and are sowide :that the side walls of said ribs are spaced` from the side wallsof said carlines. This arrangementv affords clearancebetween the sheetribsand carline'son both sides of the latterand thus permits theportions of the .sheets between carlines to shift or flex and Ain thismanner accommodate themselves to the distortions to which the car frameis subject in service.

Holes 11 are formed in the bottom member 5 of the carlines below therivets 10 so as to facilitate riveting. Any water that gets under theroof sheets. ontosaid lowerAv carline 5, each of sheet C is providedalongone side margin with a simple upstanding flange l2 that liesflatwise against one side ofthe carlineBand alongitheopposite sidemargin with an inverted. channel-shaped. flangel or hollow rib 13.1thatclears'the near side of'said carline but has its-outermostflange or wallbearing flatwise. against the simple upstanding. flange 12 ofL the'adjacent sheet. The sheetsare secured `together land to the carline by asinglerow of rivets la that pass horizontally throughthe overlapping portions of the sheet flanges and the adjacent side wall ofthe carline.`Y

By the arrangement described,` the roof sheets. have their. adjacent.margins supported on and rigidly` secured to. the carlines, but, at thesame :time,a re capable of flexing, or shifting independentlythereof.when the car frame distorts inservice.. rlChe carlinerconstructionfunctions after thek manner off a: hollow box girder.;V it enables theheight of the carline to. bereducedwithout sacrifice of strengthorheadroom; andit, provides a bettery support for tlief roof sheets and.also facilitates the operation of riveting. the` roof, sheets to thecarlines.-`

The modified construct-ion', of Fig, ,6. shows a one-piece outsidecarline, as distinguished from the. twofpiece inside` carline construe.-tions hereinbefore. described. The4 outside carline B. of'thisconstruction comprises a singlel member of inverted channel-shapedcross-section havingoutstanding base flanges which bear flatwiseupon thebody portions of adjacent roof sheets. The roof sheets are similar4 tothose shown in Fig. 5;*that'i's, each sheet C is provided) along onesidemargin with its simplelupstand'ing flange 12a and alongthe oppositesilde margin with inverted cl'iannellslapedilange or hollow rib' 13a; Inthis construction, however,- the cooperating flanges ofadj acent roofVsheets are located inside th-e'outsidefcarline B with the outer walloftheihollow rib lafof; one sheet; lying flatwisei against` the innerfacel of one side wall of said carliney and overlapping the simpleupstanding flange 12a of' the adjacent sheet. The sheets are rigidlysecuredtogether and to :thel carline by a row of. rivets 14a that passhorizontallyv through the mferlapped` portions of said sheets andtheadjacent side wall of said-.carline.v The ,channelofthe outside vcarlineB is made deep enough and Wide enough to afford clearance between thesaid carline and the hollow rib 13a at the top and unsecured side wallof said rib. With this arrangement, the space between one side wall ofthe hollow rib 13a and the adjacent side wallof., the carline permitsthe body. of the sheet to flex or shift transversely of the carline inaccommodating itself to the weaving ofthe car, while the space betweeenthe top of said rib and the top of the carline-permits the top wall ofsaid rib to tiltcrosswise during such flexing or shifting of the sheet.

l/Vhat l claim is:

l'. A car roof comprising side plates, inverted channel-shaped carlinesconnecting said side plates, and roof sheets supported on said sideplates. and carlines, said roof sheets being provided along theiradjacent margins with cooperating flanges that are shaped to form.hollow ribs that cooperate with the` channels offsaid, carlines, saidribs being rigidly secured to said carlines, each carline andV thev ribcooperating therewith being of different widthso as to provide a spacebetween at least one side of a rib and the adjacent side of a carline.

2. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines connecting said sideplates, and roof sheets supported on saidside platesA and carlines,saidl roof` sheets being provided along their adjacent margins with,cooperating flanges that areA shaped to form' hollowribs that straddle`saidl carlines, said ribs being rigidly secured to said carlines andbeing wide enough to provide clearance between at least one side of arib and the adjacent side wall ofthe carline straddled thereby.

3. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines connecting said sideplates and having side'marginal extensions, roof sheets supported onsaidcarline extensions and provided alongV their adjacent margins withcooperating flanges that are shaped to form hollow ribs that straddlesaid carlines, each. of said ribs being rigidly secured along one'sideto one side of a carline and being spaced from the opposite side of saidcarline.

Ll; A car roof comprising side plateacar-` lines of` hollow box section`connecting said side plates and having its bottom member extendedlaterally beyond the sides andoffset upwardly to form supports for roofsheets, and roof sheets supported on said side plates and carlines, saidroof sheets being provided along their adjacent margins with hollow ribswhich embrace each other, said ribs being rigidly secured together andto the top off each carline with their sides enclosing and spaced fromthe sides thereof.

5, A car roof comprising side plates, carlinesof hollow box sectionconnecting said side plates and having its bottom member extendedlaterally beyond the sides and off- Set upwardly t0 form supports forroof lj sheets, and roof sheets supported on said side plates andcarlines, said roof sheets being provided along their adjacent marginswith hollow ribs which embrace each other, said ribs being rivetedtogether and to the top,

of each carline with their sides enclosing and spaced from the sides ofthe latter, said carlines having openings formed in their bottomsadjacent to the points where the roof sheet ribs are secured to thecarlines.

6. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines of invertedchannel-shaped cross-sec- Ation connecting said side plates, and roof 7.A car roof comprising side plates, carlilies connecting said sideplates, and roof sheets supported on said side plates and car;

lines, each roof sheet being provided along one side marginwith a hollowrib and along its outer side margin with an upstanding flange, each ofsaid sheets being arranged with its marginal rib astraddle a carline andthe marginal ilange of an adjacent sheet, said flange and the wall ofthe rib adjacent Athereto kb-eing rigidly secured together and to theadjacent side wall of said carline, said rib being wider than saidcarline to provide clearance between said rib and the other side wall ofsaid carline.

8. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines connecting said sideplates, and roof sheets supported on said side plates and car-V lines,each roof sheet being provided along `one side margin with a hollow riband along its outer sid-e margin with an upstanding flange, each of saidsheets being arranged with its marginal rib astraddle a carline and themarginal flange of an adjacent sheet, said marginal flange and one sidewall of said rib being rigidly secured together and to one side wall ofsaid carline, the other side wall of said rib being spaced from theother side wall of said carline.

9. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines connecting said sideplates, and roof sheets supported on said side plates and carlines, eachroofI sheet being provided along one side margin with a hollowupstanding 'rib and along its other side margin with an upstandingflange, each of said sheets being arranged with its upstanding marginalrib a'straddle a carline and with the outer wall of said rib lyingagainst the upstanding marginal flange of an adjacent sheet, said flangeand said outer wall of said rib being riveted together and to theadjacent side wall of saidA carline, the inner wall of said rib beingspaced' from the other side wall of said carline.

10. A car roof comprising side plates, carlinesl connecting vsaid sideplates, and roof sheets supported on said side plates andcarlines,-e'ach roof sheet being provided along one `side margin with ahollow upstanding rib and along its other side margin with an upstandingflange, eachY of said sheets being arranged with its upstanding marginalrib astraddle a carline and withv the .outer wall of said riblyingagainst the upstandingmari v ginal flange of an adjacent sheet,said'lange Y 11. A car roof comprising side plates, car- Y linesconnectingv said side plates, and roof sheets supported on said sideplates and carlines, each roof sheet being provided along one sidemargin with a hollow rib and along its outer side margin with anupstanding flange, each of said sheets being arranged withits marginalrib astraddle a carline and the marginal flange of` an adjacent sheet,said flange and the wall of the rib adjacent thereto `being rigidlysecured together and to the adjacent side wall of said carline, said.rib being wider than said carline to provide clearance between said riband the other side wall of said carline, said carline being of hollowbox section and having'openings in its bottom located adjacent to thepoints .105V

where the sheets are secured to the carline, said carlines having sidemarginal extensions constituting supports for said roof sheets.v

12. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines connecting said sideplates and roof sheets supported on said side plates and carl lines,each roofl sheet being provided along one side margin with a hollowupstanding rib and along its opposite side margin with an upstandingflange, each of said sheets being arranged with its marginal rib fittingwithin ak carline and with the outer side wall of said rib lying againstthe upstanding flange of an adjacent sheet and riveted thereto and tothe adjacent side wall of said carline, the inner side wall of said ribbeing spaced from the other side wall of said carline. i

13. A car roof comprising side plates, carlines connecting said sideplates and roof sheets supported on said side plates and carlines, eachroof Vsheet being provided along one Side margin with a hollowupstanding rib and along its opposite side margin with an upstandingflange, each of said sheets being arranged with its marginal rib fittingwithin acarliiieand With; the outerside wall ofisaidirib overlapping theupstanding flange of an adjacent sheet andriveted thereto and tol theadjacent side Wall of said Carline, the inner side Wall of said ribbeing spaced from the other side wall of said carline, and the top' ofsaid rib beingspaced from the top ofsaid carline.

14. Acar` roof comprising side plates, inverted channel-shaped carlinesconnecting said side plates, and roof sheets supported on saidrsideplates and carlines,` said roof sheets being provided along` theiradjacent margins with cooperating flanges that are shaped to 'formYhollow ribs that cooperate with the channels of said cai-lines, saidribs being rigidly secured to said carlines, each carline and the ribcooperating therewith being of diierent width and: depth so as toprovide a space between at least one side 0i a rib andthe adjacent sideof a carline, and a space between the top of said rib and the top ofsaid carline. Y

Signed at New Kensington, Pennsylvania,

this 6th day of October` .1930.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL.

Leasga'se

